Welcome!
I'm Michelle Bradley,
Exercise physiologist and health coach.
We will be taking a few moments to play with our breath.
Why would we do this?
You have been breathing your whole life.
What more do you need to know?
Our breath is a physiological link to our subconscious and our state of mind.
Under stress,
We tend to have shallow,
Rapid breathing or we unconsciously hold our breath.
This form of stressful breathing can create negative health consequences.
Playing with our breath helps us create a tool that will always be with us to not only reduce stress,
But provide relaxation or even energize us so that we perform and feel our best.
The first thing I'd like for you to do is to simply recognize how you are breathing in this moment.
Close your eyes so that all your attention is focused on observing your breath.
No need to change it.
You are following your breath,
The air coming into your body and the air leaving your body.
How does your body respond to the incoming air?
Take a few moments now to observe 4 or 5 breaths.
Do you feel your chest rise?
Your ribs expand?
Your belly go out?
Do you feel the air passing your nose or mouth?
Focus on the sensation of your inhale,
The air coming into your body,
For just a few breaths.
Now pay attention to your exhale.
Is there a pause anywhere in your breathing?
In what ways does your body move to allow for breathing?
Do you make a sound with your inhale or your exhale?
The first thing we will play with is creating a long,
Slow exhale.
The air can go out your nose or your mouth,
Whichever feels most natural.
A common way to do a long,
Slow exhale is to purse your lips,
And this helps slow the release of air.
Breathe in and then slowly exhale.
Let's do one together where we breathe in and a slow exhale through pursed lips.
Okay,
Now do 5 breaths at your own pace.
Breathe in and a slow exhale.
How do you feel?
What did you notice while you were focusing on the long,
Slow exhale?
Would you say that you feel a little bit more calm or relaxed?
A long,
Slow exhale releases a neurotransmitter that directs the heart to slow down,
Decreasing your blood pressure and creating a more relaxed state.
Next time you would like to feel more relaxed,
Try a long,
Slow exhale.
Box breathing is another breathing technique that can bring about a sense of calm and reduce stress.
It is taught to Navy Seals to calm the autonomic nervous system and allow them to perform under pressure.
Imagine your breath like a box with four sides and breathe for four seconds on each side.
Let's do this together three times.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold your breath,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Now breathe normally.
Do you feel a greater sense of calm and contentment?
If you are in a state of frustration,
Agitation,
Stress or anxiety,
The 4-7-8 Breathing technique can be very helpful to reduce those feelings and regain control.
The numbers correspond to inhaling to the count of four,
Holding the air in for a count of seven,
And slowly exhaling to the count of eight.
It works because you are now focused on the counting,
Controlling your breath,
And creating the physiological changes that take you from the sympathetic nervous system or your fight-and-flight system to the parasympathetic nervous system or your rest and digest system.
I will guide you through the 4-7-8 Breathing technique for three rounds,
But feel free to go at your own pace or stop at any time.
Let's begin.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Now breathe normally.
How do you feel?
Some people use this technique to help them fall asleep.
Deep belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing,
It is what you do naturally when you are in a deep sleep state.
On the inhale,
You soften your diaphragm and allow your belly to expand.
On the exhale,
You engage your abdominal muscles to draw the belly back in.
Inhale,
Belly expands.
Exhale,
Draw the belly in.
Place your hand on your belly to feel it expand as you inhale and come back in with the exhale.
If you are sitting,
It helps to sit with good posture or you can try it lying down.
Let's do three diaphragmatic or deep belly breaths together.
Inhale,
Belly softens and expands.
Exhale,
Draw the belly in.
Inhale,
Allow the belly to feel,
Soften and expand.
Exhale,
Slowly draw the belly back in.
One more time.
Inhale,
Belly softens and expands.
Exhale,
Drawing the belly back in.
If you are feeling tension in your abdomen or intestinal discomfort,
Try doing some deep belly breaths.
This can allow the abdominal muscles to relax and encourage better digestion.
Thank you for doing some breath play with me.
The more you experiment with your breathing and try these different techniques,
The more likely you will remember to do them to help you relax and find a state of calm contentment even when you find yourself in a stressful situation.
The more you practice these techniques,
The more your body will turn to them without you even knowing it.
It will become automatic that when you start feeling agitated,
Stressed,
Frustrated or anxious,
Your body will automatically respond with a breathing technique that will bring relief.
Experiment with your breathing and use it as a tool to bring about a better state of health and well-being.
I'm Michelle Bradley and I wish you wellness.
